If Louis Jordan, the Brinkley-born musical pioneer who's credited,
but not widely celebrated, as one of the pioneers of rhythm and blues
and rock 'n' roll, were still alive this year, he'd be 100. So it makes
sense that Stephen Koch, who's been championing Jordan's legacy for
nearly 20 years, would rally the troops for a year of celebration.

Koch's fascination with Jordan began, he says, “literally bouncing
on my father's knee to songs like ‘Beans & Cornbread.' ” His dad
was, at one point in his career, a DJ who “imparted love of music and
its makers, especially stuff like ragtime, stride piano, blues, early
jazz and Louis Jordan.” On down the road in adulthood, in the early
'90s, Koch started formally researching Jordan for the University of
Arkansas's “Arkansas Biography” book project. More or less since then,
he's led the charge to keep Jordan's legacy alive. In 1997, he founded
the Louis Jordan Tribute Concert, the proceeds from which funded the
creation of a bust of Jordan that now sits in the Brinkley Central
Delta Depot Museum (the same train depot where Louis used to porter
bags as a kid, Koch reports enthusiastically). Koch, too, helped land
Jordan in the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame in 1998 and the
Arkansas Black Hall of Fame in 2005.

So far this year for the centennial, Koch has given talks and hosted
radio specials and helped curate a film series (Jordan's “talkies” were
proto-music videos). But don't fret, Jordan-philes, the big fetes don't
get underway until today. First, on Thursday, Arkansongs, the weekly
radio show that Koch hosts and produces, airs a special hour-long
broadcast on Jordan's life with local radio personality Billy St. James
playing the role of Jordan. Then, Saturday and Sunday, Wildwood Park
for the Arts, in cooperation with a host of other munificent local
groups, presents “Jump!,” a biographical play written by Koch.

But first, an appeal to the stomach that Jordan, author of arguably
the greatest collection of food songs in popular music, would approve
of. A catfish fry, with sides like collard greens and sweet potato pie,
precedes the play each night. The theme will be especially in line on
Saturday — Jordan's “Saturday Night Fish Fry” might be his greatest
song.

“Jump!,” which will be staged in Wildwood's 600-seat Lucy Lockett
Cabe Festival Theatre, follows the story of Jordan as told by “himself”
(with the help of several Jordanettes, the performer's backup singers)
at different stages in his career, Koch says. An all-star cast and crew
comes together to put it on. Cliff Fanin Baker, the park's director, directs. The Rep's decorated set
designer Mike Nichols contributes. Lawrence Hamilton, the renowned
Arkansas performer, stars as Jordan. And Tawanna Campbell, one of
Little Rock's most impressive R&B singers, is also featured. A
five-man “jump” band also factors in, featuring noteworthy locals like
Stratsimir Pavlov and Joe Vick. And video, featuring archival footage
of Jordan, will also be included.

A special note: Look for Martha Jordan, Louis's widow, in attendance.

Also upcoming:

“The Louis Jordan Story: An Arkansongs Special”

KUAR-FM, 89.1

7 p.m. Thursday, July 17, and 1 p.m. Sunday, July 20.

Later in July, the U.S. Post Office is scheduled to release a Louis
Jordan stamp, as part of the “Black Cinema” series, featuring the
poster for “Caldonia.”

Koch and filmmaker Kevin Clark (“The Old Gray Lady”) are at work on
a documentary called “Is You Is” that should be complete this fall.

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